Luke Humphries Has Heavily Criticised James Wade for Walking Off Stage After Luke Littler’s Defeat
Luke Humphries, the world No. 1 darts player, has publicly criticized James Wade for his abrupt exit from the stage following a loss to Luke Littler in the 2025 World Matchplay Darts final at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on July 27, 2025. Littler, the 18-year-old prodigy, clinched an 18-13 victory over Wade, securing the Phil Taylor Trophy and becoming the youngest player to complete darts’ Triple Crown. Wade, trailing 5-0 early, fought back but left the stage before Littler’s trophy presentation, prompting backlash from fans and Humphries.
Humphries, who also completed the Triple Crown in 2025 with his Premier League title, expressed his disapproval in a statement reported by SportBible on July 29, 2025, saying, “Everyone loves to see people be a bad loser, but I’m generally one of the best losers in the sport. I wasn’t going to give someone who didn’t deserve my respect after what he was doing through the game a hug and be all happy about it, that’s just my honesty.” While Humphries’ comments reference an earlier encounter with Wade at the UK Open in March 2025, where he “barged past” Wade after a 10-9 quarterfinal loss, they reflect lingering tension applied to the Matchplay incident.
Wade, 42, addressed the controversy on X, stating, “Morning all, I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s supported me this week… Ultimately I’m so happy I made it to the finals last night. A big congratulations to Luke on the win.” He later revealed he congratulated Littler personally, saying, “Well played, brilliant tournament and well done to you,” indicating no animosity. Littler corroborated this, noting Wade’s graciousness despite frustrations over crowd noise, which both players addressed with the referee during the match. The PDC opted not to sanction Wade, as Darts Regulation Authority rules don’t mandate runners-up to stay for post-final interviews, treating his exit as a personal choice.
The incident echoes earlier friction between Humphries and Wade. At the UK Open, Wade’s clinical finishing ousted Humphries, who rushed off stage, a move GB News described as “fuming.” Wade’s prior comments at the 2025 Masters, labeling Humphries and Littler “lazy” compared to legends like Phil Taylor, further strained relations. Humphries hit back, asserting, “There’s no player that works harder than me,” emphasizing his practice ethic.
This clash highlights contrasting personalities—Humphries’ forthright professionalism versus Wade’s emotional responses, as noted by Taylor in 2013 when Wade admitted “giving up” against him. As Littler and Humphries lead darts’ new era, Wade’s stage exit has sparked debate, but his sportsmanship toward Littler suggests the criticism may be overstated.
